The 31-year-old woman is in jail this
morning. Police say she is the person
who pushed a man into the path of an
oncoming subway train, killing him. Even
more shocking, according to the Queen's
District Attorney, she told police, and
we quote, "I pushed a Muslim off the
train tracks because I hate Hindus and
Muslims ever since 2001."
Eyewitness News reporter Darla Miles has
details from the courthouse in Q
Gardens, Queens.
screaming upon sight of all of the
cameras focused solely on her.
31-year-old Erica Mendez walked out of
the 112 precinct in Forest Hill Saturday
night, charged with seconddegree murder
as a hate crime. Police say she's the
woman in this surveillance video seen
running from the 40th Street Lowry
station in Sunnyside, Queens after
allegedly pushing an unsuspecting strap
hanger, 46-year-old Sen to his death.
She's been mentally ill for a long time.
She was always in the hospital, says
Pedro Menddees, a family friend.
Witnesses told police they saw Menendez
talking to herself just moments before
allegedly shoving sin in front of a
moving number seven train Thursday
evening. Menddees says,
"Put on my phone."
She's had problems with people in
fighting. I asked what kind of problems.
He said, "Fights, fights, fights.
Physical fights." I asked. He said yes.
With who? Strangers in the street? I
asked. Yes, in the streets and also in
the hospital. Police say a passer by
spotted Menendez in Brooklyn and called
911 Saturday morning. Investigators say
the 31-year-old confessed to officers
when they arrived, saying, quote, "I
pushed a Muslim off the train tracks
because I hate Hindus and Muslims ever
since 2001 when they put down the Twin
Towers. I've been beating them up. I
don't think that, you know, she should
do any person should go out and just
randomly, you know, just start targeting
roots and trying to kill somebody. You
know, it it's very sad.
Saturday night, two candles and a
bouquet of roses had been placed at the
subway station where the low-key Indian
immigrant lost his life and where some
commuters are still shaken by the
thought of it all.
Worry about walking on the street
because you never know who's going to
push you onto the tracks or into the
street. It's like Yeah. very
threatening. Yeah.
And the Council for American Islamic
Relations released a statement Saturday
evening urging US leaders to step up
their condemnation of anti-Muslim
attacks in Q Gardens. Darla Miles,
Channel 7 Eyewitness News.